The military officer in charge of providing help for injured soldiers says they are being asked for their own good to sign a form governing what they can and can’t say in public.

In September, the Ottawa Citizen reported that the Canadian Forces were requiring physically and mentally wounded soldiers to sign a form agreeing they won’t criticize senior officers on social media outlets or discourage others in uniform with their comments on sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

But Col. Gerry Blais, director of casualty support management and the Joint Personnel Support Unit, told MPs at the Commons defence committee that the form was for the benefit of the wounded. “The form is there more for the protection of the individuals because unfortunately there are occasions where people, especially when they are suffering from mental health issues, will make comments or become involved in discussions that, later on in the full light of day, they would probably prefer that they had not been involved,” he explained Tuesday.

Chris Mikula / Postmedia News
THE CANADIAN PRESS / Adrian Wyld

Under questioning from Liberal MP Joyce Murray, however, Blais also said the “guidance” is aimed at what soldiers might say to the news media.

Some of the wounded and their families have been highly vocal about the failure of the military leadership and Conservative government to help those injured serving their country. Defence insiders say there is intense pressure from the government to limit such bad publicity. The form, given to military personnel who are transferred to the Joint Personnel Support Unit, was leaked to the Citizen by military members upset with what they saw as a threat against speaking out about their concerns.

The Joint Personnel Support Unit, or JPSU, was created to help the injured. It oversees support centres across the country.

In August, the Citizen revealed the organization was rife with problems, with soldiers and staff warning about the lack of resources and raising concerns some of the support centres were dysfunctional.

Blais told MPs the document is not designed to stifle criticism. But the form notes that those in JPSU are not to disclose “your views on any military subject.” The military personnel in the unit were also told not to “write anything that might discourage others or make them dissatisfied with their conditions or their employment.”

The form, introduced in March 2013, noted that military personnel in JPSU would be held responsible for not only the content they post on social media outlets but also the content of sites of their friends which they have “tagged.”

THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Retired air force officer Sean Bruyea, a high-profile critic of how the military and government treats wounded veterans, described the form as “right out of something you would see during the Soviet era.”

Blais acknowledged to Murray that some members of JPSU have refused to sign the document. He said no one has faced disciplinary action for that but added, “We have spoken with some.”

“It is not restrictive, per se,” Blais said of the form. “It is guidance.”

Other parts of the military are also trying to crack down on information that could be embarrassing to the government. Canadian Army commander, Lt.-Gen. Marquis Hainse recently warned troops he would punish those found to be speaking to the news media without permission.

Hainse said information being leaked to reporters about the army was hurting the organization’s credibility. Over the last year, documents have been leaked outlining how Conservative government budget cuts are hurting military readiness and impacting on soldiers’ families.

While someone might eat a Beyond Meat burger for ethical reasons, it does little for that person's health. In fact, it might be more harmful than good

This Week's Flyers

Comments

Postmedia is pleased to bring you a new commenting experience. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. Visit our community guidelines for more information.